Here's what the cam card for the Steeda No. 19 looks like. The cam specs out at 0.480/0.480-inch lift with a split-duration profile of 220/226. The lobe separation angle for this mild street cam is 115. Steeda designed the cam to work with '85-and-up Ford small-blocks. The company specifies a 1.60 roller rocker with the spring requirements as shown. The "Recommended RPM Range" defines streetability with a 2,500-6,500-rpm band that doesn't drop off or hesitate, unless you have the sense to get your foot off the loud pedal.
Michael's '95 GT features a 105,000-mile stock short-block; unported GT-40P heads with stock valves; an unported Cobra intake; a stock 60mm throttle body; a 75mm Pro-M bullet mass air; MAC P-head-specific 151/48-inch short-tube headers, a MAC off-road X-pipe; and a stuffy, stock after-cat. The five-speed car has 3.73 gearing and a Ford Racing Performance Parts Extender to help tune the stock computer a bit. Before the cam change, the GT was good for consistent 14.00s at around 101 mph, with a best e.t. of 13.90 at 101.16 mph (at 3,640 pounds with driver). After the addition of the Steeda No. 19 cam, the Paul's Automotive Engineering chassis dyno registered 270 rwhp and 300 rwtq with the Extender on the No. 8 setting (12.25:1 air/fuel ratio, which was measured as actual air/fuel of 12.36:1). At the track, the car ran a best e.t. of 13.57 at 102.84 mph, with a 2.02 60-foot time on street tires.
As manager of Paul's Automotive Engineering, Tom knows a thing or two about choosing the right camshaft for good street manners and excellent power. Through years of trial and error, the gang at Paul's has found the Steeda stick to be one of the best for the picky stock computer found in '94-'95 GT Mustangs. Tom's convertible is much more of a street cruiser than a drag racer, so you can use that tip-off as an indication of which side of the manners-versus-power scale he leaned toward. The car features a stock bottom end with 80,000 miles, a Vortech S-Trim making 11-12 psi, Roush CNC-cut GT-40 aluminum Y heads with Paul Faessler finishing work, a ported Cobra intake, a 65mm FRPP throttle body, an 80mm Pro-M mass air, 42-lb/hr injectors, MAC short-tube headers, a Dr. Gas off-road X-pipe, a stock after-cat, and a custom Paul's Automotive-tuned Autologic chip. On the dyno, this combination belted out 471.6 rwhp and 451.7 rwtq with a mild tune on pump gas. On the street, the car is a mild-mannered monster, able to shred all but the most exotic of cars. Without a rollbar, track testing is a ways off, but expect something in the low 11s at more than 125 mph with sticky tires.
"I'm very pleased with the results of the No. 19 cam," Michael says. "It has run great on the street, even with the A/C on, and I have no regrets. It doesn't give up any low end to the stock cam. It starts to pull away from the stock bumpstick at 3,000 rpm, then it really takes off at 3,500. It continues to pull hard until 5,500 with my combo. The idle and driveability have been great. It has a mild chop at around a 750-rpm idle-pretty smooth, but enough to know it has a cam. It will sound a little meaner and shake the car with a lower idle around 550-650. The most noticeable difference was the improved power throughout the entire rpm range. I was expecting to lose some low end, but that didn't happen. I got to have my cake and eat it too!"
Unfortunately, Tom changed several other parts on his car with the cam, so we don't have a valid baseline to compare only the cam. There is, however, no doubt the cam worked nicely with his combination. "I chose the Steeda No. 19 camshaft," Tom says, "because of the wide-pattern lobe separation (115 degrees), the emphasis that it puts on the exhaust side of the engine, and the specified '94-'95 application. As far as I'm concerned, it's the perfect blower cam. I've recommended several of them for our customers. After living with the cam for a few months, I can report that the driveability is excellent. The '94-'95 cars are extremely hard to get a cam to drive well. They want to lug at low rpm. The power is higher than I expected. I contribute that to the good heads, the Vortech blower, and the cam working well together."